Bjarne giant… Unbelievable

I have been into the pipe smoking thing for a little while now… and actually it goes quite a way back for me as I have some pipes from about 15+ years ago. But recently, in the last few months or so I have really gotten into it. Not really sure why, maybe the constant visuals I get watching the science channel seeing all of the greatest minds in science smoking away… thinking “maybe that is their secret to exponential intelligence…” LOL… I also have pre-hypetension (BP = 140/80) and pipe smoking is supposed to be a calming hobby allowing you to reflect and relax… Well however I started or whatever the reason… I did a lot of research (as I always do) about pipe smoking… WOW… There is a lot of information out there and a lot of things to know about pipe smoking… The only downside thus far (well aside from the potential health risks) is that the smoking experience is unique to each individual; i.e. a favorite pipe or tobacco of one may not translate to another. I have been in a rut so to speak on both pipe and tobacco selection. I have continually gone with the great smelling aromatic blends thinking they will taste great based on their wonderful aroma, but they really don’t. I have some nice mid-level pipes as well so I am on par there… but still no real luck. In my research I found a guy on youtube.com, PipeFriendCHS, who has a great deal of knowledge and experience to share as well as a wonderful demeanor, quite pleasant to listen to and watch. After watching several videos and subscribing to the feed, I came across a video showcasing some giant pipes. Never saw anything like this before and never knew anything like this existed in the pipe world. I was continually having issues packing my pipes correctly and they just never had any flavor… Well all of that was about to end, yesterday in fact. I went out on a limb, from watching the giants on the videos, and found one. The one in the picture above. Honestly I didn’t really go to far out there because I nabbed this one for $46.00 !!! Now that I have had a chance to smoke it, once, I would have paid 3 times that amount. It was the most amazing smoking experience I have had… I cannot fully describe it other than to say that everything I was looking for in a smoke was realized with this pipe. It was as if I was carried off into a realm of tranquility and peace. I know this sounds overstated, but it is not, I assure you. All that remains is to create this experience each and every time I smoke… and of course I am going to endlessly search for pipes just like this one.

By Lin Yutang “…Now the moral and spiritual benefits of smoking have never been appreciated by these correct and righteous and unemotional and unpoetic souls. But since we smokers are usually attacked from the moral, and not the artistic side, I must begin by defending the smoker’s morality, which is on the whole higher than that of the non-smokers. The man with a pipe in his mouth is the man after my heart. He is more genial, more sociable, has more intimate indiscretions to reveal, and sometimes he is quite brilliant in conversation, and in any case, I have a feeling that he likes me as much as I like him. I agree entirely with Thackeray, who wrote: The pipe draws wisdom from the lips of the philosopher, and shuts up the mouths of the foolish; it generates a style of conversation contemplative, thoughtful, benevolent, and unaffected.”